People who are confined to a bed for extended periods of time can develop moisture build up on their skin where the skin does not have sufficient exposure to dry. Similar to being in a pool for extended periods, the skin in these locations can become soft. Additionally, the moisture build up can become a bacterial breeding ground. The skin in these areas is frequently under constant pressure from the patient's body weight.
These areas of skin can begin to stick to the bed and tear away from the person. The tearing can result in open sores which are painful and can bleed significantly. Once the open sores are present, there is a significant risk of infection. These sores require additional care and expense that would not be necessary if the bed sores had been prevented beforehand. Treatment and prevention of bed sores can require specialized beds or having the patient leave the bed for extended periods of time. If a specialized bed is used the treatment can be expensive but can be the only choice if the patient is unable to leave the bed.
Hospital patients are sometimes confined to long periods of bed rest due to causes including surgical recovery and coma. The patient's condition, either conscious or not, often requires the patient to lie in substantially one position for extended periods of time. These extended sedentary periods place hospital patients at an increased risk of bed sores, related infection, and medical care that otherwise would not be necessary.